Morley wrote:Ha! I guess I asked for that. Sure, I'll type it up after the semester and holidays are over.
My question for Omar Khayyam would be regarding his thoughts on the problem of evil. This is a recurrent theme in his quatrains, but elsewhere he seems to explain it away and forgive God. Islam usually avoids this issue; Khayyam doesn't.
I'd also ask him about the geocentric-heliocentric controversy. If I remember correctly, he calculated the rotation of the earth. Fitzgerald assumed that this meant Khayyam understood the sun as the center of the solar system. Others have disputed this.
Thanks, Morley! I hadn't heard about his potential calculation of the rotation of the earth/heliocentric views. It would certainly be interesting to meet and talk with one of the guardians of knowledge during the European dark ages, though, and he seems like a great choice.
I don't think I could put a list together...for a dinner party anyway. Almost everyone mentioned so far would be great to have coffee with, though in my opinion.
But a dinner party...hmm. Of those listed so far, Sterling McMurrin seems like he would make a great dinner guest. I'd add Richard Feynman. In my imagined vision of Khayyam I have to think he would be a great person to share a table with, both for knowledge & wit as well as love of wine. I might borrow him if your primary guests arrive and you don't need an alternate. If there were a historical person who we now call Helen of Troy...she must have a helluva story to tell so she's in. I want the gossip on that event.
Maybe that's it. I have to image those four would have a lot of questions for the group as well as be able to enjoy the moment. I'll save the extra seats for another party, another time.